There are thirteen species of bats that call Florida home, including two endangered species.
Vist the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Comission Field Guide for Identification here.
The endangered Florida Bonneted Bat.
Photo via Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center
Florida Bonneted Bat: Eumops floridanus
This large bat is brown-gray in color and weighs from 40-65 grams. This species is critically endangered, and found nowhere else in the world outside of South/South Central Florida.
Learn more about the Florida Bonneted Bat on the A Bit Batty podcast:
Gray Myotis: Myotis grisescens
This small bat is dark gray in color, and can weigh from 7-16 grams. This bat lives exclusively in caves, thus its populations are very vulnerable to human disturbance. Historic populations in Florida appear to be absent as of 2020.
Hoary Bat: Lasiurus cinereus
These bats have dark brown fur with tips of white. They weigh around 26 grams and can be found throughout most of North America, including some parts of Florida.
Rafinesque’s Big Eared Bat: Corynorhinus rafinesquii
As the name inplies, this bat has huge ears, often over an inch long. They weigh from 6-13 grams and can be found in many different habitats, though are frequently associated with mature forests.
Big Brown Bat: Eptesicus fuscus
This bat is red-brown in color and large only compared to other microbats, weighing only 15-26 grams. This species has a wide range and is adaptable to many habitats.
Tricolored Bat: Perimyotis subflavus
This bat is so named for its fur, which has three distinct bands of color. Their fur is dark gray at the base, yellow-brown in the middle, and red-brown at the tip. they weigh 4-8 grams and is found in eastern North America.
Velvety Free-Tailed Bat: Molossus molossus
This bat is brown and of medium size. This bat is most commonly found in the Caribbean, but can be found in the Florida Keys.
Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat: Tadarida brasiliensis
This bat has a tail that can make up half of its body length and weighs from 7-12 grams. While generally cave dwelling in other parts of the country, the Florida populations of this species seem to prefer buildings.
Eastern Red Bat: Lasiurus borealis
This bat is brick red is color with white patches on their shoulders. They weigh from 7-13 grams and are found throughout the eastern portion of North America.
Southeastern Myotis: Myotis austroriparius
This small bat is gray or orange-brown in color and weighs from 5-8 grams. This species can be found across the southeastern corner of the USA, but most of their population resides in northern Florida.
Evening Bat: Nycticeius humeralis
While occasionally white, the majority of this bat population is brown. This bat weighs from 7-15 grams and frequently gives birth to twins.
Northern Yellow Bat: Lasiurus intermedius
The larger cousin of the southern yellow bat, this bat weighs from 14-31 grams and its fur ranges from yellow-orange to gray-brown. This bat is commonly found in coastal areas.
Seminole Bat: Lasiurus seminolus
Dues to its ruddy brown color, this bat is frequently mistaken for the red bat. The seminole bat weighs around 12 grams and prefers forested homes with adequate sources of leaf litter and spanish moss to insulate their homes.